This is original content is written my me. If you would like to use it elsewhere, please quote me and link back to this post.The #1 Rule for Character CreationLet’s establish this rule upfront:

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The game is not all about you. TTRPGs are group games.Your character’s backstory should not inhibit the group’s enjoyment of the game.

That means, if you want to make a potentially troublesome character, run it by your group FIRST. It will usually mean:

Avoid ‘loners’ who refuse to work with the group

Avoid scoundrels who steal other party members’ items or stab them in the middle of the night

Avoid the “I’m just playing my character’s alignment” chaotic neutral character who randomly kills NPCs and gets the party into trouble

This list is not conclusive--there are plenty of other ways to make a troublesome character

Don’t be ‘that person’. You might have fun with that character, but it can ruin it for everyone else.

Why write a backstory at all?Before we get into the ‘how’, let’s start with the ‘why’. A good backstory makes your character memorable. You won’t be the zillionth kid whose family was killed by orcs or ended up as an urchin taken in out of the blackness of the Thieves’ Guild’s heart.

More importantly—consider this rule #2—a backstory has game-related purpose. It gives the other players and the GM ways to connect themselves and the world with your character on an emotional level rather than just feeling like the D&D equivalent of drinking buddies. (If there’s no adventure going on, there’s not really any reason for you to remain connected with the party.) For many groups, this just gets hand-waved, but it doesn’t make for a compelling character or group dynamic.

Establish your Backstory GoalsEven a very basic backstory helps you and the GM tie your character to the world. YOU have a backstory, don’t you? You have friends, loved ones, cherished memories, favorite stories. Your character didn’t magically appear out of the void, either. What have they done with their life? What has been important to them so far? You have people you have invested time in, cared about (or hated), stories you re-tell time and time again. So should your character!